"It isn't always easy to be on this stage,” the 35-year-old athlete shares in an interview for TIME’s “FIRSTS” video series, highlighting celebrity women who are pioneers in their field. “To have someone comment on your body, and say, 'It's too strong.'"

"They'll say something like, we don't deserve as much prize money as our male counterparts,” she adds. "You work so hard, you dedicate yourself. It shouldn't be a double standard."

Apart from being an all-around champion in the sports realm, Williams has also been crushing it with her family life, last week welcoming her first child with her Reddit founder fiancé, Alexis Ohanian.